Videotron applies management measures only to upload traffic (i.e. from the user to the Internet) for its 30 Mbit/s upload speed plans, and under certain conditions (see below).

Why does Videotron use Internet traffic management measures?

Videotron’s mission is to offer the best online experience to as many users as possible. Videotron uses traffic management measures to prevent some modems from slowing down the service, even momentarily.

What kind of traffic does Videotron target?

Videotron does not target any particular type of traffic, nor any specific applications or protocols such as peer-to-peer file sharing. Only data uploads made under the 30 Mbit/s upload speed plans are subject to traffic management. Download traffic is not managed.

When and how is traffic managed on the Videotron network?

Every 15 minutes, a system verifies the traffic rate of each upstream channel (typically, one upstream channel serves a few dozen modems). If the traffic rate exceeds the threshold above which congestion occurs, the system identifies the modems that are uploading a large amount of data. The upload capacity of these modems is then given a low-priority rating. However, if the congestion persists or increases, then the upload speed of these modems may slow down.

When the amount of data uploaded by the modem is diminished or the traffic on that channel reverts to a normal enough rate that congestion is no longer an issue, the upload capacity will go back to its usual priority. Even when they are no longer prioritized, modems for 30 Mbit/s upload speed plans can use up all the upload bandwidth that other modems are not using, at a speed equivalent to these modems’ nominal speed.